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Dec. 20, 1938. H w. KRAG 2,141,004

SEWING MACHINE Filed July 5. 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Dec. 20, 1938.

H. w. KRAG 2,141,004

SEWING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I VEr/roe.

Dec. 20, 1938. H. w KRAG 0 SEWING MACHINE Filed July 5, 19.36 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 iflg mus/was.

Dec. 20, 1938. H. w KRAG 2,141,004

SEWING MACHINE Filed July 3, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 H W. KRAG SEWING MACHINE Dec. 20, 1938.

Filed July 3, 1936 5, Sheets-Sheet 5 hill/EN T0 R;

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Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application July 3, 1936, Serial No. 88,762

19 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines, particularly shoe sole sewing machines of the kind having a manually operable mechanism for releasing and raising the presser foot and a thread feeding mechanism including thread tenslonmg,

measuring, take-up and locking devices.

In a machine of the above type, it is necessary to stop the machine at some particular point in its cycle of operation or to retract the takeup device by reversing the machine in order to obtain enough free thread to permit the shoe to be removed with the last stitch completed before starting the next seam. In either case, considerable time is lost; and usually an excess amount of thread is drawn from the supply mass because the operator first retracts the take-up device to obtain the free thread and then pulls the thread from the supply mass for the next seam. Enough free thread must be drawn from the supply mass to permit the take-up device to reach its extreme take-up position and to provide surplus thread for starting of the next seam. If the thread is out too short, the severed end thereof will be drawn through some of the devices of the thread handling or feeding means, thus necessitating rethreading; and in order to prevent this rethreading operation, the operator is apt to draw from the thread feeding mechanism more free thread than is needed, the amount of such free thread being difficult to gage by retracting the take-up device and then drawing the thread from the supply mass.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple and efilcient thread feeding or handling means which will overcome the above disadvantages. Another object is to provide a pedal operated mechanism for releasing and raising the presser foot and for simultaneously releasing the thread locking devices. The invention consists in the sewing machine and in the construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the 60 upper portion of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a. vertical section on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the upper portion of the machine'on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 in Fig. 2, showing the front thread.1ock closed and the rear thread lock open, 5

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing both thread locks open,

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the path of travel of the thread through the thread feeding or handling mechanism; and 10 Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown embodied in a shoe sole sewing machine comprising a stitcher head I provided with a for- 1 wardly projecting lug 2 having a horizontal pivot pin 3 fixed therein that extends on opposite sides thereof and pivotally supports a lever 4 whose forwardly extending arm is provided at its free end with a foot 5 for pressing the work down upon a 2 support 6 fixed to said lug. Constant pressure is supplied to the rear arm of the presser foot lever 4 by a coil spring I for swinging said lever in a direction that will cause the presser foot 5 thereof to press the work against the work support 6. 5 The presser foot lever 4 has an upstanding handle 8 fixed to its outer arm, whereby said lever may be manually operated to ralse the presser foot of! the work.

Auxiliary means are provided for holding the presser foot 5 down upon the work. As shown in the drawings, said means comprises an auxiliary presser foot arm 9, which is mounted alongside of the presser foot lever 4 for swinging movement. about the pivotal axis thereof and extends rear- 35 wardly above the rearwardly extending arm of said lever and is yieldably connected thereto by means of a rod Hi. This rod is pivotally connected at its lower end by means of a stud H, to the rear arm of the presser foot lever 4 and 40 extends upwardly through a lug l2 provided therefor on the auxiliary presser foot arm 9 and is provided above said lug with a coil spring 13 which is held in place by means of a. nut I4. The auxiliary presser fcot arm 9 is swung upwardly 5 to press the presser foot 5 down upon the work by means of a. pawl or ratchet I5, which is pivoted, as at IS, on the free end of an arm I! whose opposite end ls'pivotally secured as at l8, to a lug l8a on the stitcher head I. This pawl engages an arcuate ratch IS on the free end of the auxiliary presser foot arm 9 and is yieldably held in engagement with said ratch by means of the coil spring 20 interposed between opposing lugs on said pawl and the supporting arm ll therefor. so

The pawl supporting arm H is provided intermediate its ends with a roller 2i that works in the cam groove 22a of a face cam 22 fixed to a horizontal main shaft 23 Journaled in a bearing 24 mounted on the stltcher head. By this arrangement, when the pawl supporting cam arm H is swung upwardly by the face cam 22, the presser foot 5 is pressed downwardly against the work, the spring I3 permitting excess travel of said cam arm and the auxiliary presser foot arm 9 and thus preventing Jamming of said presser foot. When the cam arm I! is swung downwardly by the cam, the pawl IS on the free end of said arm strikes a pin 25 fixed to the stitcher head and is disengaged from the ratch of the auxiliary presser foot arm 9. thereby relieving the presser foot of the auxiliary pressure exerted thereon. The usual thread measuring yoke 25a is pivotally connected at its upper end to the rear arm of the presser foot lever 4 and is urged upwardly by the coil spring I hereinbefore referred to and thus operates at all times to yieldably hold down the presser foot.

The rearwardly extending arm of the presser foot lever 4 is provided with an arcuate ratch 26 adapted to be engaged by two lock ratchets or pawls 21 that are pivotally supported on a stud 28 secured to the stitcher head. One of these pawls engages the ratch one-half a tooth higher than the other pawl; and both pawls are yieldably held in engagement with said ratch by means of coil tension springs 29, which have one end anchored to the stitcher head and the other end bearing against the respective pawls. By this arrangement, one of the pawls will engage the ratch on the rear arm of the presser foot lever 4 to prevent upward movement of the presser foot after the auxiliary pressure has been applied thereto. When the cam arm I1 is swung downwardly to disengage the pawl 15 from the ratch l9 on the auxiliary presser foot arm 9, the pawls 21 are disengaged from the ratch 26 by the engagement of a cam 30 on said cam arm with arms 3| that extend rearwardly from said pawls.

The pivot pin I for the presser foot lever is provided at one end with an upwardly extending arm 22 which serves to rigidly support and brace a horizontal shaft 23 mounted in the upper end thereof, said shaft being adapted to pivotally support the usual thread lifter lever (not shown). The pawls l5 and 21 are disengaged from the ratohes i9 and 26 of the auxiliary presser foot arm 9 and presser foot lever 4, respectively, by means of a lever 34, which is located between said auxiliary presser foot arm and the upwardly extending brace or arm 32 of the presser foot lever pivot 3 and is pivotally secured to the inner face of said brace by means of a pivot stud 35. The lower arm of this pawl release lever is connected by means of a pivot 36 to the forward end of a pawl release arm 31 whose rear end is provided with diverging fingers 29 and 39, adapted to engage pins 40 and 4|, respectively, on the pawls l5 and 21 to disengage them from the ratches l9 and 26. A coiled tension spring 42 has one and connected to the upper arm of the pawl release lever 24 and has its other end anchored to a stud 43 in the combined brace and thread lifter lever shaft supporting arm 42 of the presser foot lever pivot pin 3 and thus tends to hold the fingers 28 and 39 of the pawl release arm 31 in a position which will permit the pawls i5 and 21 to engage theratches i9 and 26 on the presser foot lever 4 and auxiliary presser foot arm 9. respectively.

The construction of sewing machine thus described is shown and described in my Patent No. 1,906,625, dated May 2, 1933, wherein the presser foot pawls are released by manually operating the release lever. In the present construction, the pawl release lever 34 is operated by a pedal actuated mechanism which also serves to raise the presser foot. This pedal actuated mechanism comprises a lever 45 pivoted, as at 46, on the lower arm of the release lever with its forward arm terminating at its free end in a convex cam surface 41 adapted to engage an abutment pin 48 fixed to the brace arm 32 of the pivot pin 3 for the presser foot lever 4 when the rear arm of said lever is depressed. Pivotally connected to the other arm of the lever 45 is an upright link 49 which is provided at its upper end with a rearwardly extending book 50 adapted to engage the stud Ii that plvotally secures the lower end of the spring rod in to the presser foot lever 4. The lower end of the link 49 is pivotally connected to the forwardly extending arm of a lever 5| pivoted on a horizontal stud 52 mounted in a rib 53 on the underside of the feed slide supporting portion 54 of the stitcher head i.

A rod 55 is also pivotally connected at its upper end to the forwardly extending arm of the lever 5i and at its lower end to a pedal 56, which is pivotaliy mounted at its rear end on a stud 51 secured to a lug 58 fixed in the base portion 59 of the sewing machine. A stop screw 60, which is provided with a lock nut 6|, extends upwardly through the pedal 56 in abutting relation to a lug 62 provided on the base 59; and a stop screw 53. which is provided with a lock nut 64, is threaded through the outer arm of the lever Si in abutting relation to the underside of the feed slide supporting portion 54 of the stitcher head. A coil spring 65, which is connected at its upper end to a horizontal stud 66 fixed to the frame of the machine and at its lower end to a collar 61 secured to the rod 55 by a set screw 69, serves to hold the pedal 56 in raised position. The stop screw 63 is set so that the pawl or release lever 34 is in retracted position and the pawls l5 and 21 are free to engage the ratches therefor. The stop screw on the pedal 56 is then set to abut against the lug 62 on the base portion 59 of the machine, its function being to relieve the other parts of the mechanism from shock when said pedal is abruptly released.

In operation, when the pedal 56 is depressed, the front arm of the lever 5! moves downwardly and pulls the link 49 in the same direction. This downward movement of the link is suflicient to swing the lever 45 about its pivot 46 and thus swing the release lever 34 in a direction that will force the pawl release arm 31 rearwardly and thus disengage the pawls l5 and 21 from their respective ratches. Further downward movement of the link 49 causes the hook 5|] at the upper end thereof to bear against the top of the stud II on the rear arm of the presser foot lever 4 and thus raise the front arm thereof and lift the presser foot 5 ofi the work. With this arrangement. it is obvious that the locking pawls i5 and 21 may be disengaged from their ratches and the presser foot raised by depressing the pedal 56 regardless of the position of the face cam 22 with respect to the cam roller 2! on the pawl supporting arm I! operated by said cam.

The stitch forming thread 69 is drawn from a suitable supply mass (not shown) into a wax pct 10 mounted on the frame of the machine, thence through a hollow stripper screw II at the top of said pot, thence upwardly around a tension roll 12 and upwardly over a measuring or pull-off roll 14, thence downwardly around a lock roll 15 and upwardly around an auxiliary takeup roll 16, and thence downwardly around a main take-up roll I1 and upwardly to the usual thread handling devices and shuttle (not shown). The thread tensioning roll 12 is journaled on the supporting stud 52 for the lever 5i; and free rota tion of said roll is resisted by suitable friction devices (not shown) that are yleldably held in engagement therewith by a coil spring 18 sleeved on said stud. The pressure of this spring is regulated by the nut 19, which is held in the desired position of adjustment by a lock nut abutting thereagainst, both nuts being threaded on the stud 52. The thread measuring or pulloif roll I4 is journaled on the free end of a thread measuring arm 08, which is fixed to a rocker shaft 89 suitably Journaled on the stitcher head and actuated by the usual cam mechanism (not shown). The thread locking roll 15 is journaled on a stud 9i secured to an upstanding heat plate 92, which is fixed at its lower end to the wax pct 10 and at its upper end to the stitcher head I. The auxiliary thread take-up roll 16 is journaled on an auxiliary take-up lever 93, which is pivoted, as at 94. on the stitcher head and is provided with a coiled tension spring 95 which tends to swing the roll supporting end of said lever upwardly. The auxiliary take-up lever 93 is provided with lug 96 adapted to abut against a lug 960 on the stitcher head and thus limit the downward swinging movement of said lever. The main thread take-up roll I1 is mounted on a main take-up lever 91 actuated by a cam lever 91a controlled by a cam groove 98a in one end of a double face cam 98 fixed to the main shaft 23 of the machine, portions of said main takeup lever and said cam lever being shown broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the thread feeding and measuring mechanism.

As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7, a thread looking or clamping lever 09 is journaled on a shaft I00 mounted on the stitcher head with one arm terminating in a free end portion IOI shaped to fit and adapted to press upwardly against the underside of said roll to lock the thread therein. The other arm of the lock lever 08 is actuated by a bent cam lever I02 Journaled on a horizontal stud I03 mounted in the stitcherhead. One arm of said lever is inclined rearwardly and upwardly and is actuated by a cam groove 9% in the end of the double face cam 98 remote from the end having the cam groove 98a therein. As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9, the other arm of the cam lever extends downwardly and is pivotally connected to the rear end of a horizontal rod or link I04 whose forward end has a suitable adjustable swivel connection I05 with an arm I06 that is rigid with a rocker shaft I01 journaled in the stitcher head.

In the operation of the above described thread handling mechanism, which is old and well known in the art, the lever 99 operates to lock or clamp the thread in the lock roll I5 during the stitch setting cycle and during the period when the thread measuring or pull-oil roll 14 is pulling the thread for the next stitch. From the lock roll 15 the thread passes to the auxiliary take-up roll 15 which operates to take up slack in the thread during the stitching operation and to hold the thread taut when it is laid in the hook of the needle (not shown). The thread then passes to ious thread handling devices (not shown) and is then passed around the shuttle (not shown), the main take-up roll 'II moving upwardly to supply the necessary thread. After the thread loop has passed the point of maximum distension in its movement around the shuttle, the main take-up roll rn'ovcs downwardly to take up the loop and set the stitch.

In order to absorb the thread pulled out by the thread measuring roll N, the thread lock 99 must be open during part of the movement of the main take-up roll II. In machines of the type above described it is customary for the thread lock 99 to remain open until the main take-up roll II reaches the position indicated at A in Fig. 3, at which time said lock closes and securely clamps the thread in the lock roll I5, while the main take-up roll 11 moves to the stitch setting position indicated at B in Fig, 3. When the main take-up roll T1 is moving downwardly from the top position indicated at C in Fig. 3, during which period the thread lock is open, it is necessary to have sufllcient tension on the thread tensioning roll 12 to prevent the take-up from stealing thread when the resistance of the thread in the work is sufficient to overcome the resistance offered by the tension roll. If this tension is set too tight, it is difiicult to manually pull the thread from the supply for the next seam.

In order to maintain a moderate tension on the thread without danger of the main take-up roll stealing the thread, the present invention provides a second thread locking mechanism, which is locked when the thread lock 99 is open and opened when the latter is closed. This additional thread locking mechanism preferably comprises a thread locking roll I00 located above the tension roll 12, the thread passing upwardly around one side of said tension roll and thence over said lock roll, and thence downwardly beneath said tension roll and upwardly over the thread measuring roll 14.

This rear thread locking roll I08 is journaled, as at I09, on and intermediate the ends of the depending arm of a lever II 0, which is journaled on the rocker shaft I01 between a shoulder III thereon and a boss H2 on the stitcher head. The shouldered end of the rocker shaft I01 is journaled in the stitcher head boss I I2; and the opposite end of said shaft is iournaled in a bracket III on the stitcher head. The upper arm of the rear roll lock supporting lever H0 has a yielding connection with an arm Ill rigid with the rocker shaft I01. As shown in Fig. 9, said connection comprises a rod or bolt Il5 passing through registering openings provided therefor in the upper arm of the lever H0 and in a lateral projection I I6 on the arm Ill of the rocker shaft I01 with the head of said bolt seated in the lever arm. a nut I I1 threaded on the opposite end of said bolt and a spring H8 sleeved on said bolt between said nut and the lug on said rocker shaft arm.

The rocker shaft I01 is also provided adjacent to the upwardly extending arm H4 thereof with 9. depending arm H0 terminating in a free lower end portion I 20 shaped to fit and adapted to press against the rear side of the rear thread lock roll I08 carried by the lever H0. The lever IIO has a notch or tooth space I I0a therein adapted to receive the fre end of the rear arm of the lock lever 99, thereby causing the lever H0 to swing away from the lock arm N9 of the rear thread lo k and open the same whenever 99. In operation the swivel connection I05 between the forward end of the rod I94 and the arm H16 of the rocker shaft Ill'l is adjusted so that the thread is clamped in the lock roll 15 by means of the locking lever 99, thereby com-.

pressing the spring H8 sufficiently to move the lock arm H9 away from the rear lock roll I08 and thus release the thread therein.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when the cam 98 is in position to open the front thread lock the lock lever 99 and the rear lock roll supporting lever llll remain stationary with the front lock closed until the depending arm H9 of the rocker shaft I01 engages the rear lock roll Hi8, after which said rocker shaft and said lever move as a unit and positively open the front thread lock due to engagement of the free end of the rear arm of the lock lever 99 with the notch llila in lever H0. As the cam 98 is rotated to close the front thread lock, the lock lever 99 engages the front lock roll 15 and remains stationary, thereby holding the lever H9, together with the rear lock roll I08 thereon, in fixed position, after which the lock arm H9 of the rocker shaft I01 moves away from the rear lock roll and thus positively opens the rear lock compressing spring H8 during the movement of the rocker shaft after the front thread lock has closed.

By the arrangement described, both thread locks are alternately opened and closed; that is one of said locks is always closed in the automatic operation of the machine, as the opening of one look is dependent upon'the closing of the other lock. The front lock engages the thread during the stitch setting and thread measuring cycles and the rear lock engages the thread while the front lock is opened and while the take-up is drawing thread through the work and exercising a pull on the thread. In this position of the take-up, it is apparent that a very moderate tension be applied to the tension roll 12 without any danger of stealing thread from the sup- Ply.

As one thread lock or the other is always closed in the operation of the machine, manually operable means is provided for simultaneously releasing both looks when it is necessary to pull the thread from the supply, as when removing the shoe or when pulling the free thread for starting the next seam. This manually operable lock roll releasing mechanism comprises a release pin "I which is secured to the rear arm of the lever 5|, which forms part of the pedal actuated paw] release and pressure foot raising mechanism hereinbefore referred to. The normal position of the lever 5!, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6 permits the two thread locks to function normally. With this arrangement, when the pedal is depressed as shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the rear arm of the lever 5i swings upwardly and the release pin l2l thereon engages the lower arm of the rear lock roll carrying lever H0, thereby causing said lock lever to pivot on the rocker shaft I01 and move the rear lock roll I08 away from the rear lock arm i I9; and this movement of said rear lock roll carrying lever swings the rear arm of the front lock lever 99 upwardly and the forward arm thereof downwardly clear of the front lock roll 13. Thus, both thread locks are simultaneously released when the pedal is depressed.

When the seam is completed, the operator may stop the machine with the take-up in stitch setting position, with the front thread lock closed with and the presser foot locked in engagement with the work, and then depress the pedal to release and raise the presser foot and simultaneously open the rear thread lock to remove the shoe, accurately gage the thread he pulls from the supply and cut the thread with a minimum waste.

While the stitch setting position has been described as the position in which the thread locks may be opened, said locks. as well as the presser foot locking means, may be released in any position of the take-up merely by depressing the pedal.

What I claim is:

1. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices, one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, and means for automatically opening one of said locking devices whenever the other of said lock ing devices is closed.

2. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices, one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, means for automatically opening one of said looking devices whenever the other of said locking devices is closed, and non-automatic means for opening said locking devices.

3. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices, one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, means for automatically opening one of said locking devices whenever the other of said locking devices is closed, and pedal operated means for opening said locking devices.

4. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices, one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, and means for automatically opening one of said locking devices whenever the other of said locking devices is closed, a locking device being closed by the opening movement of the other locking device.

5. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices, one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, and means for automatically opening one of said locking devices whenever the other of said locking devices is closed, said first mentioned looking device being closed and the other locking device opened during the beginning of the operative movement of the take-up device, and said other locking device being closed and said first mentioned locking device open near the and of such movement.

6. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding meching devices is closed, said first mentioned locking device being closed and the other locking device opened during the beginning of the operative movement of the take-up device, and said other locking device being closed and said first mentioned locking device open near the end of such movement, said first mentioned locking device opening after said other locking device is closed and closing before the latter opens.

'1. In a sewing machine, a thread feeding mechanism including thread tensioning, measuring and take-up devices and two thread locking devices. one located between the tensioning device and the measuring device and the other between the measuring device and the take-up device, means for automatically opening one of said locking dcvices whenever the other of said locking devices is closed, said first mentioned locking device being closed and the other locking device opened during the beginning of the operative movement of the take-up device, and said other locking devc': being closed and said first mentioned locking device open near the end of such movement. sa d first-mentioned locking device opening after sa d other locking device is closed and closing b fore the latter opens, and means for open ng both of said locking devices.

8. In a sewing machine, a thread measuring mechanism including two rotary thread rolls. an arm adapted to swing into engagement w th one of said thread rolls to clamp the thread there n. means for actuating said arm, and a lever ada ted to engage the other of said thread rolls in .clamp the thread therein, said arm being oner'itively connected to said lever to sw ng the latter into clamping engagement with sa d other roll when said arm moves out of cla pin engagement with said first mentioned roll and to swin sa d lever into clamping engagement with said other roll when said arm moves into clamp ng engagement with said first mentioned roll.

9. In a sewing machine. a thread measurin mechanism including two rotary thread rolls. an arm adapted to swing into en agement with one of said thread rolls to clamp the thread therein. means for actuat ng said arm. a lever adapted to engage the other of said thread rolls to clamp the thread therein. said arm bein oneratlvely connected to said lever to swing the latter into clamping engagement with said other roll wh n said arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to swing sa'd lever into clamping engagement with said other roll when said arm moves into clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll. and means for simultaneously moving sa d first mentioned r ll out of clamping engagement with said arm and said lever out of clamping engagement with said other roll.

10. In a sewing machine, a thread measurin mechanism including a. power operated rocker shaft having an arm rigid therewith. a lever pivoted on said rocker shaft, a connection between said rocker shaft arm and said lever, a thread roll mounted on said lever, said rocker shaft having a second arm rigid therewith adapted to engage said roll to clamp the thread therein, a second thread roll journaled in said machine. and a. second lever pivoted in said machine and adapted to engage said second roll to clamp the thread therein. said second lever being operatively connected to said first mentioned lever to be swung thereby into clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rock shaft arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to be moved out of clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rocker shaft arm is moved into clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll. said connection between said first mentioned rocker shaft arm and said first mentioned lever permitting said first mentioned lever to be moved independently of said first mentioned arm to move said first mentioned roll out of engagement with said first mentioned arm and said second lever out of engagement with said second roll.

11. In a sewing machine, a thread measuring mechanism including a power operated rocker shaft having an arm rigid therewith, a lever pivoted on said rocker shaft, a connection between said rocker shaft arm and said lever, a thread roll mounted on said lever, said rocker shaft having a second arm rigid therewith adapted to engage said roll to clamp the thread therein, a second thread roll journaled in said machine, a second lever pivoted in said machine and adapted to engage said second roll to clamp the thread therein, said second lever being operatively connected to said first mentioned lever to be swung thereby into clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rock shaft arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to be moved out of clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rocker shaft arm is moved into clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll, said connection between said first mentioned rocker shaft arm and said first mentioned lever permitting said first mentioned lever to be moved independently of said first mentioned arm to move said first mentioned roll out of engagement with said first mentioned arm and said second lever out of engagement with said second roll, and means separate from the power operated rocker shaft operating means for imparting said independent movement to said first mentioned lever.

12. In a sewing machine, a thread measuring mechanism including a power operated rocker shaft having an arm rigid therewith, a lever pivoted on said rocker shaft, 9. connection between said rocker shaft arm and said lever, a thread roll mounted on said lever, said rocker shaft having a second arm rigid therewith adapted to engage said roll to clamp the thread therein, a second thread roll Journaled in said machine, and a second lever pivoted in said machine and adapted to engage said second roll to clamp the thread therein, said second lever being operatively connected to said first mentioned lever to be swung thereby into clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rock shaft arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to be moved out of clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rocker shaft arm is moved into clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll, said connection between said first mentioned rocker shaft arm and said first mentioned lever permitting said first mentioned lever to be moved independently of said first mentioned arm to move said first mentioned roll out of engagement with said first mentioned arm and said second lever out of engagement with said second roll, said connection including a spring adapted to permit such independent movement of said first mentioned lever.

13. In a sewing machine, a thread measuring mechanism including a power operated rocker shaft having an arm rigid therewith, a lever pivoted on said rocker shaft, a connection between said rocker shaft arm and said lever, a thread roll mounted on said lever, said rocker shaft having a second arm rigid therewith adapted to engage said roll to clamp the thread therein, a second thread roll Journaled in said machine, a second lever pivoted in said machine and adapted 10 to engage said second roll to clamp the thread therein, said second lever being operatively connected to said first mentioned lever to be swung thereby into clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rock shaft arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to be moved out of clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rocker shaft arm is moved into clamping engagement with said first men tioned roll, said connection between said first mentioned rocker shaft arm and said first mentioned lever permitting said first mentioned lever to be moved independently of said first mentioned arm to move said first mentioned roll out of engagement with said first mentioned arm and said second lever out of engagement with said second roll, and means separate from the power operated rocker shaft operating means for imparting said independent movement to said first mentioned lever, said last mentioned means including a member mounted on said machine for movement into and out of engagement with said first mentioned lever.

14. In a sewing machine, a thread measuring mechanism including a power operated rocker shaft having an arm rigid therewith, a lever pivoted on said rocker shaft, a connect-ion between said rocker shaft arm and said lever, a thread roll mounted on said lever, said rocker shaft having a second arm rigid therewith adapted to engage said roll to clamp the thread therein, a second thread roll iournaled in said machine, and a second lever pivoted in said machine and adapted to engage said second roll to clamp the thread therein, said second lever being operatively connected to said first mentioned lever to be swun thereby into clamping engagement with said second roll when said first mentioned rock shaft arm moves out of clamping engagement with said first mentioned roll and to be moved out of clamping igngagement with said second roll when said first lhentioned rocker shaft arm is moved into clampihg engagement with said first mentioned roll,

said connection between said first mentioned 55 rocker shaft arm and said first mentioned lever permitting said first mentioned lever to be moved independently of said first mentioned arm to move said first mentioned roll out of engagement with said first mentioned arm and said second on lever out of engagement with said second roll, a work support, a device for pressing the work against said support, and means separate from said power operated rock shaft operating means for imparting said independent movement to said first mentioned lever and for disengaging said presser device from said work.

15. In a sewing machine, a work support, a device for pressing the work down on said work support, said presser device being normally locked in work engaging position, a thread feeding mechanism including a thread-lock, means for automatically opening and closing said lock in the normal operation of said machine and separate means for simultaneously unlocking said presser device and for raising it off the work and opening said thread lock.

16. In a sewing machine, a work support, a device for pressing the work down on said work support, said presser device being normally locked in work engaging position, 'a thread feeding mechanism including two thread locks, means for automatically opening a thread lock whenever the other thread lock is closed, and separate means for unlocking said presser device and for raising it off the work and for simultaneously opening both thread locks. 1

17. In a sewing machine, a work support, a presser foot, a lever for suporting said presser foot, a fulcrum and brace for supporting said lever, means for locking said lever with the presser foot thereon in engagement with the work, means mounted on said brace to release said locking means including a release lever, a release arm connected to said release lever and adapted to engage said locking means, a cam for actuating said release lever, and a link actuated by said cam and adapted to actuate said lever to disengage said presser foot from the work.

18. In a sewing machine, a presser mechanism including a presser foot and locking means normally adapted to hold said presser foot down on the work, two thread locks, power actuated means for automatically opening and closing said thread locks to control the passageway of the thread therethrough in the normal operation of the machine, a lever pivoted on said machine and oper atively connected to said presser foot mechanism and to said thread locks for simultaneously disengaging said presser foot from the work and opening both of said thread locks.

19. In a. sewing machine, a presser mechanism including a presser foot and locking means normally adapted to hold said presser foot down on the work, two thread locks, power actuated means forautomatically opening and closing said thread locks to control the passageway of the thread therethrough in the normal operation of the machine, a lever pivoted on said machine and operatively connected to said presser foot mechanism and to said thread locks for simultaneously disengaging said presser foot from the work and opening both of said thread locks, and pedal actuated means for operating said lever.

HARRY W. KRAG. 

